Lower thirds:

00:03 Report by / Teri Schultz
00:38 Markus Lammert / EU Commission Spokesperson | Nov. 7th, 2025)
01:07 Margus Tsahkna / Estonian Foreign Minister
01:43 Teri Schultz / DW Correspondent
02:08 Gabrielius Landsbergis / Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister

Script:

00:00
Pro-Ukraine protesters force the closure of the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale art show… 
A reminder not everyone in Europe is ready to welcome citizens from a country that started a war on their border.  
But the Italian government is among three countries still rolling out the welcome mat for Russian citizens.  
As we can see in a document leaked to DW, first reported by Euractiv, which reveals that France even increased the number of Russian visas it granted last year.  
This, despite the European Commission banning multiple-entry visas six months ago, emphasizing concerns about Russian visitors such as: 

00:37 
+++ Markus Lammert, EU Commission spokesperson (accompanied with date insert: Nov 7th 2025) +++
"... increased security risks stemming from Russia’s war including weaponization of migration, acts of sabotage and potential misuse of visas."

Last year France granted visas to almost 180-thousand Russians then free to move throughout the Schengen zone with no notification. 
Countries on the EU’s eastern flank have dropped their visa approvals to near-zero and are urging other governments to follow suit.  

01:06 
+++ Margus Tsahkna, Estonian Foreign Minister +++
"The region issued 600-thousand visas last year and it’s increasing. It’s immediate threat to our people because Russian Secret Services sending people, organizing different sabotage acts and killing our people, so this is not normal."

But the EU cannot control member states’ borders and France says it’s following the rules. A government official told me:  
((quote card))
"French authorities are granting visas on a case-by-case basis after analysis of each situation and after having operated all the necessary security checks in full compliance with the guiding lines of the EU Commission."  

+++ PTC Teri Schultz +++
"That’s not good enough for many people. Estonia is leading a group of countries concerned that “tourist groups” coming to Europe may include Russian soldiers. They’re arguing to create a 'Schengen blacklist' that would automatically block anyone who’s fought in Russia’s war against Ukraine."

Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says the visa statistics lay bare hypocrisy in the positions of some European governments.  

02:07 
+++ Gabrielius Landsbergis, former Lithuanian foreign minister +++
"Look, we have to imagine a very high probability that the person who fought in the war, you know, who was just recently - maybe days or weeks ago - was killing Ukrainians or trying to kill Ukrainians. Then the next thing he knows he's vacationing in Paris and taking pictures of Eiffel tower. And it's the same person. And then we're saying that we're supporting Ukraine." 

Tsakhna says all European governments should be able to agree on matters of public security. 

+++ Margus Tsahkna, Estonian Foreign Minister +++
"European people should decide whether we would like to welcome these ex-combatants or Russian people just to come to visit Europe and we are not sure actually who they are."

EU leaders are expected to discuss a Schengen blacklist for ex-combatants at their next summit in June.

END